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Healthy Home
The Pull of Spring -- Back to Basics
by Diane H. Pitts, R.N., P.T. (Diane's bio)
IMPORTANT!: Please read our legal notice regarding this health column by clicking here.
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Emma spends an entire Saturday cleaning her attic. By evening she cannot turn her head. Daryl works continuously Friday and Saturday to lay flooring; however, on Sunday he is unable to stand up. Tim plays Rugby on the weekend but has trouble walking up a flight of stairs on Monday. Spring brings with it a desire to freshen up a house, finish a project, and simply be outside. These individuals used the weekend to attack a goal but ended up paying for the effort. They now share a common problem-muscle overuse. So, do we give in or resist the pull of spring?
Overuse and Poor Body Mechanics
Emma pushed herself to do some major spring-cleaning. Could this have caused her problems? The answer is "yes," especially if overuse was coupled with poor body mechanics.
In a study done at the UCLA Medical Center, one out of every 25 employees reported a back injury within the year. The reason for these injuries was often poor body mechanics or bad posture. Emma, like the employees, was subjecting her back to pressures two to ten times the box's actual weight especially if she assumed awkward positions or held boxes away from her body. She often jutted her head forward, thus causing neck muscles to support 8 to 12 pounds more than normal. No wonder she could not turn her head! What could she have done differently? First, let's look at lifting.
Lift Loads Safely-a Self-Check
1. Pre-plan the lift. How much is the load and where am I going?
2. Stay balanced. Are legs a shoulder width apart; am I bending at hips/knees and not at the waist?
3. Lift well. Am I using leg muscles and lifting smoothly without twisting my back?
4. Hold the load close, waist height. Are the natural curves in my back maintained during the lift?
5. Use equipment when necessary. Do I need a cart or a dolly?
6. Break the project into smaller job. Do I have to do it all today?
Overuse and Muscle Inflexibility
Next time, Emma will look at her task differently, but what about Daryl and that floor? His overuse was linked to muscle inflexibility. He needs to know that a lack of regular exercise increases his risk of low back problems, especially if he begins an unaccustomed activity. How can he be helped?
Keep in Shape for Prolonged Activities:
1. Stretch daily as a routine. Flexible muscles allow the back to move, bend and rotate.
2. Keep abdominal and back muscles conditioned. This lowers the possibility of back strain or disc overload.
3. Take frequent breaks during the activity. A change of position and rest periods keep the body at a higher level of performance during a task.
Overuse and Arthritis
Daryl will change his position and stretch every thirty minutes for his next prolonged project. But now Tim needs our attention.
He has waited impatiently for Rugby to get underway, and yet his doctor warned him about participating this year. His back and both knees were beginning to show signs of wear and tear from previous years of Rugby devotion. Nevertheless he flung himself into the fray all day Saturday. On Monday he sported a black eye, stiff back, and a knee that was locking up. What could have helped forty-year-old Tim? Overuse and arthritis make a mean couple.
Understanding Arthritis
1. Strengthen muscles that are prone to overuse.
2. Try leg strengthening before increased use of painkillers. Exercise often decreases pain.
3. Low impact sports help support and stabilize joints. Sometimes sports must be changed.
4. Short but frequent exercise is beneficial. Range of motion exercises increase joint and muscle movement.
Spring has sprung! Sometimes our bodies resist the pull we place upon it and spring back with a vengeance. Overuse coupled with poor body mechanics, inflexibility, and arthritis can injure our back; therefore, we need to get back to basics before plunging into the next project.
Resources:
http://www.ergonomics.ucla.edu/Ergowebv2.0/backsafety.htm
http://www.sportsmed.org/Publications/default.htm *see patient education materials
For Your Soul Consideration:
Sometimes our muscles may feel as though we are dying. Hezekiah, a king, was actually dying until God restored him to health. The king said, "Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back." (Isaiah 38:17 NIV)
Copyright 2002, Diane H. Pitts. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
THE CONTENT OF THE "HEALTHY HOME" COLUMN IS PRESENTED IN SUMMARY FORM, IS GENERAL IN NATURE, AND IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE CONTENT IS NOT INTENDED IN ANY WAY TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR FACE-TO-FACE, IN-PERSON, PROFESSIONAL, MEDICAL, PSYCHIATRIC, OR PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTH CARE ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDER WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING A MEDICAL CONDITION, HEALTH DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY IN SEEKING IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ IN THE "HEALTHY HOME" COLUMN. Please read our full legal notice.
| About Diane H. Pitts, R.N., P.T.: Diane Pitts has practiced in the fields of nursing and physical therapy for twenty-five years. She currently manages the education and escapades of three active boys in addition to pursuing an interest in writing. Healthy Home seeks to provide the reader with practical ways to maintain wholeness in body, mind, and soul. Contact her at healthyhomecol@earthlink.net. |
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